Sara is one of 17 inaugural members of the IUCN Youth Advisory Committee (YAC). The first of its kind, the YAC was launched in April 2024 to support the implementation of the IUCN Youth Strategy across the Union. The YAC is comprised of youth from across the globe, each bringing their own diverse experiences to support meaningful youth engagement in IUCN’s policies, processes and programmes. Get to know Sara and other YAC members as we introduce them.
Hi all, my name is Sara Pineda. I am a Mexican biologist and National Geographic Explorer dedicated to biodiversity conservation through community-based conservation, collaborative networks, and environmental education in Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs).
I have coordinated participatory community projects in the Yum Balam Protected Area and the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve. In Yum Balam, I led research analyzing Holbox Island’s vulnerability to hurricanes and its relationship with urban development, using participatory mapping with projection-augmented landscape models.
In Tehuacán-Cuicatlán, an area that hosts 10% of Mexico’s flora, myself and four other National Geographic Explorers are creating a women’s learning community with a participatory action research approach. My commitment to KBAs has also led me to contribute to Mexico’s roadmap for achieving Target 3 of the Global Biodiversity Framework, where I provided recommendations focused on equity and inclusion.
Understanding that local and national challenges must be addressed alongside global ones, I am collaborating with international networks such as The Climate Reality Project and Global Choices. I have also participated actively in youth networks, highlighting my role in managing governance processes in Rellac-Jóvenes and coordinating the North American region of the Young Professionals Network of the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) of the IUCN. In these organizations, I facilitated the mentorship program Genera-Acciona to strengthen the intergenerational community of professionals working in protected and conserved areas in Latin America and the Caribbean.
All these experiences have underscored the importance of involving diverse groups in addressing complex challenges and bridging generational gaps.
As a result, I have reached over 700 children and young people to raise awareness of these issues, and become an advisor for environmental education projects and a National Geographic Certified Educator.